THE CELTIC Tiger has moved on, but a large modern house tucked away off Carysfort Avenue in Blackrock, Co Dublin, has all the chic of the era. It is for sale through Coldwell Banker Kennedy Wright for €1.850 million.
Orchard Mews on Brookfield Avenue has a TV over the Jacuzzi bath in the main bathroom, a centrally-controlled music system with speakers all over the house, walnut floors, cream stone tiles, underfloor heating, and an American fridge in the up-to-the-minute kitchen.
The surprising thing about the detached house is its size (188sq m/2,020sq ft) and privacy: it is one of two built behind Carysfort's Prince Edward Terrace on a busy site.
(The house next door sold for over its €1.55m asking price through Lisney earlier this year and the remaining part of the mews site, behind 3 Prince Edward Terrace, is for sale with planning permission for €1.25m through Sherry FitzGerald).
Orchard Mews is surrounded by high stone walls and opens - through a series of French doors downstairs - onto a landscaped front garden with a patio as well as room for parking. There is a narrow yard at the back.
A central floating glass-sided staircase leads up through three floors: downstairs, there is a livingroom/diningroom running from the front to the back of the house on one side of the entrance hall and a handsomely-fitted kitchen, with utility room off it, on the other. There are three double bedrooms off the first floor landing, all facing the front garden.
The main bedroom is en suite and has a bank of mirrored wardrobes. The main bathroom - like the others, all Villeroy and Boch sanitary ware - is at this level. The stairs lead then to two good-sized attic rooms with Velux windows.
The house was built by two young developers, Michael Byrne and Aidan Molloy and it would certainly suit any buyer who fancies a high tech home. It is also more than big enough for a family.
The house is convenient to a number of schools, parks, shops and is about a 10-minute walk from the Dart.
